Stringing device



July 16, 1957 F. s. LANDlS STRINGING DEVICE Filed April 30, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Unite .1 States Patent STREWGING DEVICE Frank S. Landis, Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pa.

Application April 30, 1956, Serial No. 581,651 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-55) This application is a continuation-in-part of my previous application, Serial No. 488,017, filed February 14, 1955, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a device for arranging articles for curing and more particularly to a device for placing a plurality of leaves, such as tobacco leaves on a string or cord to be subsequently hung in a shed for curing.

It has been common practice to manually pass a string or other supporting cord through the stem of the tobacco leaves to properly arrange them for hanging in the shed for curing. Various mechanical means have been developed, one of the more common of which has a stationary needle with a gear rack on one edge and a relatively small number of movable leaf holding devices which are difficult to load for carrying the leaves over the stationary needle and stringing them onto a cord moving through the needle and leaves. These leaf carriers move through a circular path and are refilled before they again pass the needle. This machine is rather complicated and has not been widely accepted to be Very practical for carrying out this operation by an unskilled operator.

To enable tobacco to cure properly, it is essential that the leaves be properly spaced on the cord or string to accomplish equal distribution of air around the leaves. In the prior art devices, the gear rack on the needle tore a hole in the stem of the leaf much larger than was necessary for the string and consequently the leaves were free to slide on the string during the hanging operation resulting in bunching and improper curing.

In order to overcome the difficulties enumerated above in the prior art machines, I have developed a device in which a plurality of leaves are held in position by a series of clamping devices evenly spaced, arranged sequentially in a predetermined path. The stems of the leaves are held in alignment for a travelling needle, having smooth sides and edges, which places a hole in the stem of the leaf which will hold the leaf firmly in position on the string. The needle is propelled in such manner as to pierce the stem of each leaf, making a hole therein only large enough for the needle itself to pass through carrying with it a string which passes through the stern of the leaf with the needle. This procedure produces evenly spaced leaves on a string or cord for better curing and this spacing is not easily altered by handling.

In the conventional leaf stringing machines, the leaves are forced in between spring urged holding members. The stem of the leaf is actually the means used to force the leaf clamping or holding members apart and such forcing action causes a considerable amount of damage resulting from bruising of the leaves. In the device of this invention, the holding members or fingers clamp the stem of the leaf between the holder and a sprocket housing, but the finger is held out of. clamping engagement until the leaf is placed in position between the holding finger and the housing, at which time the finger is urged into clamping relationship with the sprocket housing to hold the leaf in position. After all of the leaves are in position .and the string has been placed through the leaves, the clampclamping finger and ing fingers are withdrawn from their holding relationship with the sprocket housing and the leaves are all free to be removed from the device without injury to the leaves.

It is an object of this invention to provide a machine in which a plurality of tobacco leaves are placed in evenly spaced sequential arrangement and a smooth needle carrying a string directly from a cone or spool .is propelled through the leaves to string the leaves in evenly spaced relationship to one another for supporting purposes during the curing period.

Another object of this invention is to provide a stringing device in which the clamping arrangement is inactive until the leaf is in position between the clamping'mem' bers.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device in which the clamping arrangement which holds the leaves in alignment for the stringing operation is rendered inoperative before the strung leaves are taken from the machine.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, it will be described in connection with the attached drawing in which Figure l is a top plan view showing the general arrangement of means for aligning the leaves;

Figure 2 is a view of the relative positioning of the housing preparatory to the reception of a leaf;

Figure 3 is a view of the housing and clamping finger with leaf in position therebetween; k

Figure 4 is a view of two of the housings and the finger 1 in the position assumed when the leaf is being removed from the device;

Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan view showing the needle propelling means;

Figure 6 is an elevational view showing the needle propelling means; 7

Figure 7 is a detailed view of the lever mechanism for withdrawing the holding fingers from their clamping positions with the housings;

Figure 8 shows the latching mechanism for one of fhe holding fingers in latched position;

Figure 9 shows the latching mechanism in is released or clamping position; and

Figure 10 is an elevational needle itself.

Referring to the drawing, Figure l discloses a plurality of sprocket housings 2 which in the embodiment here under consideration are arranged in astraight line. Each of said sprocket housings carries a sprocket 3 '(Figure 5) rotatably mounted therein. The front of the housing :is provided with a recess 4 into which the teeth of the sprocket 3 project. The sprocket 3 is of such size that it also projects from the rear of the housing. The exact position of the sprocket in 'the housing will be obvious from Figures 5 and 6. Between each adjacent pair of sprocket housings 2 there is positioned a leaf clamping member or finger 5. These clamping fingers are disposed above the horizontal plane of the sprocket 3 and are pivoted at point 6 located on the main frame of the machine. The clamping fingers 5 are urged into clamp'ing relationship-with the housings 2 by means ofsp'rings'7 located in the area where the fingers are pivotally "attached to the frame of the machine. One end of the springs 7 are attached to the fingers S and the other end is attached to the frame of the machine. The clamping fingers 5 are so arranged that the leaf is held in alignment'with projecting sprocket teeth which protrude into the recess 4 in the sprocket housings. With this arrangement, when a leafis placed between the clampingrnembe'rs 35 view of the perforated and the housings 2, the entire line of leaves isinalignment. with the teeth 'of the sprockets. It jwillflbe "under-j stood, of course, that more than one 'le'af'ca'n be" placed 3 at each station so long as they are so orientated that each leaf is in the path of travel of the needle as it moves through the machine.

, needle 8,. shown in detail on Figure 10, is positioned at either the left or right side of the machine, in the recess'4 of the first sprocket housing with the teeth 9 of the sprocket meshing in the openings 10 of the needle. The needle operates with equal facility from either end of the row of housings. A reversing switch to be described later is provided to insure that the needle operates in the opposite direction at alternate times. A chain 11 engages the teeth 9 of the sprocket which protrude from the rear of the sprocket housing. It will be obvious from this arrangement that motion imparted to the chain 11 will rotate the sprockets 3 and by means of the engagement of the sprockets 3 with the openings 10 in the needle 8, the needle is propelled from one end of the-line of sprocket housings to the other. Inasmuch as the leaves are positioned in alignment with the path of travel of the needle, the needle pierces each leaf and the string carried by the needle hook or recess 12 passes through the stems.

Rotary motion is imparted to the chain 11 by means of a reversible motor 13 which is suitably geared to a sprocket 14. A starter switch 15 is positioned on either end of the device. A motor stopping and reversing switch 16 is provided for stopping and changing the direction of the rotation of the motor, which in turn changes the direction of movement of the chain for running the needle and string in opposite direction. The switch 16 is operated by a chain or rod 17 which carries collars 18 surrounding chain 11. Chain 11 has an engaging pin 19 mounmd thereonwhich engages the collar 18 exerting force on chain or rod 17 which operates the switch 16 stopping the device and reversing the motor. The position of'the collars 18 with respect to the stop 19 is such that the twowill engage and stop the device when the needle is at the end of its'path of travel. A collar 18 is provided at each end of the machine.

Figures '2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 show the mechanism for actuating the clamping mechanism and for releasing the leaves from the clamping mechanism after they have been placed on the string. When the machine is ready for operation, the lever 20 at the end of the machine is depressed. This depressing of the lever 20 by reason of the cam surface 21 engaging the supporting framework 22 of the machine pulls the slide 23 in a horizontal direction from left to right in Figure 1. This is accomplished fltrough the linkage 24 connecting slide 23 with lever 20. The slide 23 is provided with a longitudinal opening 25 throughout substantially the entire length of the machine. The continuity of the opening 25 is interrupted by equally spaced across members 26. Each finger is actuated against the action of the spring 7 by a free moving latch mechanism 27. This latch mechanism 27 has a recess 28 through which the finger 5 passes. The latch mechanism 27 is supported by the finger 5 in such mannerthat a dog 29 on the upper surface of the latch mechanism'travels in the opening 25 of the slide 23. The latch mechanism 27 also has a hook 3.1m its top surface which also passes up through the opening 25 and is engaged by the cross member 26. The tbsign at the member 27 and its relationship with the slide 23'is such that movement of the slide 23 from rtfln left as shown in Figure 9 will bring cross member 2 into engagement with hook 30 at which time continuedrnovement of the slide 23 will carry the entire free moving latch 27 along with the slide and the finger 5 passing through the opening 28 will be moved with the latch 27. Tim resistance of the finger 5 occasioned by the spring 7 causes the latch to attempt to rotate in a counter- -direction as shown in Figure 9. However, substitution is arrested by the dog 29 which rides on the surface of the frame member 31. The frame one for each latch 27. When member 31 is provided with a plurality of openings 32,

the dog 29 comes into vertical alignment with the opening 32, the counterclockwise rotary motion of the latch 27 causes the dog 29 to rise in the opening 32.

When the lever 20 is in its lowermost position, the dog 29 will be slightly past the opening 32 and the finger 5 will be in the position shown in Figure 4 in which it is farthest removed from the housing shown at the left of Figure 4. After having assumed this position, the lever 26 is raised to its horizontal position and the slide 23 is returned by means of a spring 33. However, each dog 29 engages on the edge of its complementary opening 32 and the elements assume the position shown in Figure 8 in which the slide is withdrawn but the finger is now in the position illustrated in Figure 2 by reason of the dog being in engagement with the opening. All the fingers 5 across the entire machine will be in the same position. While in this position, the operator places a leaf, or a plurality of leaves, in position between the housing 2 and the finger 5 and in the placing of the leaf in such position slight engagement of the finger 5 by the operator will move the finger slightly to the right as shown in Figure 2 or to the left as shown in Figure 8. As this finger is moved to the left in Figure 8, the dog 29 will no longer engage the edge of the opening 32 and the counterweighted portion of the latch will cause the latch to rotate in a clockwise direction bringing the dog below the under surface of the framework 31 permitting the finger 5 to come into clamping engagement with the housing 2 by means of the spring 7. In this position, the finger and the housing assume the position shown in Figure 3. As the consecutive leaves are placed in position, each of the latches is released and assumes the position shown in Figure 1 in which case all of the fingers are in the position shown in Figure l and Figure 3.

After all the leaves are put in their proper places in the machine, the string directly from a cone or spool is placed in the notch 12 of the needle and the starter switch 15 is pressed. The needle 8 is propelled from one end of the machine to the other piercing the stem of each leaf and carrying the string through the leaf. After the needle 8 has stopped, the string is cut and the lever 20 is depressed which moves all the fingers 5 from their clamping relationships with the housings 2 and releasing all the stems. The leaves are now supported only by the string. This string of evenly spaced leaves is then removed from the device and the lever 20 is again raised to the horizontal position and the device is ready for repeating the cycle with the needle travelling in the opposite direction due to the fact that the direction of rotation of the motor has been reversed through an arrange ment described earlier.

In the embodiment here described, the series of sprocket housings and clamping means are arranged in a straight path. However, it will be understood that the same may be aligned in a semi-circular path if so desired and any number of housings and clamps can be used within the realm of practicability.

It will be clear from the above that l have developed a device which is relatively inexpensive to build and easy to operate by an unskilled operator and performs the task of stringing tobacco leaves with the utmost expediency.

I claim:

1. In a device of the type described the elements comprising a plurality of needle propelling means arranged sequentially in a predetermined path, a relatively fiat smooth needle for engagement with said needle propelling means to be moved thereby in a predetermined path of travel, article holding means positioned between said needle propelling means to hold an article to be pierced by said needle in the path of travel of said needle, and means for imparting rotary motion to said needle propelling means.

2. In a device of the type described, the elements comprising a plurality of needle propelling means arranged sequentially in a predetermined path; a relatively flat smooth needle for engagement with said needle propelling means to be moved thereby in a predetermined path of travel, article holding means positioned between said needle propelling means to hold an article to be pierced by said needle in the path of travel of said needle, means for imparting rotary motion to said needle propelling means, and means for halting such rotary motion when said needle reaches the end of its path of travel.

3. In a device of the type described, the elements comprising a plurality of needle propelling means arranged sequentially in a predetermined path, a relatively flat smooth needle for engagement with said needle propelling means to be moved thereby in a predetermined path of travel, article holding means positioned between said needle propelling means to hold an article to be pierced by said needle in the path of travel of said needle, a reversible motor for imparting rotary motion to said needle propelling means and means for halting such rotary motion and reversing the direction of said motor when the needle reaches the end of its path of travel.

4. In a device of the type described, the elements comprising a plurality of sequentially spaced sprockets, compressive holding means positioned between each pair of spaced sprockets, a needle provided with openings therein for engagement by the teeth of said sprocket, said needle being of a length suflicient to be engaged by at least two sprockets at one time, a chain in engagement with the sprockets at a point difierent from the point at which the needle engages the sprocket, a motor for imparting motion to said chain to rotate said sprockets, a switch to stop said motor and reverse the same when the needle approaches the end of its path of travel.

5. In a device of the type described the elements comprising a plurality of needle propelling means arranged sequentially in a predetermined path, a relatively flat smooth needle for engagement with said needle propelling means to be moved thereby in a predetermined path of travel, article holding means positioned between said needle propelling means to clamp an article to be pierced by said needle in the path of travel of said needle, means for releasing said article holding means after the article has been pierced by said needle, means for individually bringing said article holding means into clamping relationship with an article when the article is placed in position therebetween, and means for imparting rotary motion to said needle propelling means.

6. In a device of the type described the elements comprising a plurality of needle propelling means arranged sequentially in a predetermined path, a relatively flat smooth needle for engagement with said needle propelling means to be moved thereby in a predetermined path of travel, article holding means positioned between said needle propelling means to hold an article to be pierced by said needle in the path of travel of said needle, means for releasing said article holding means after the article has been pierced by said needle, and means for imparting rotary motion to said needle propelling means.

No references cited. 

